It's looking more like an Arab Winter, as the protesters are no better than the dictators who were there before. They might even be worse.

What the future may hold is not of a concern of person of the year. Person of the Year deals with the past, not what that person might do in the future. If they did, Hitler would never have won Person of the Year......

"They're also a bunch of morons. What was it that triggered some of the protests, some idiots setting themselves on fire?"

Clever. How's the view from inside your rear?

I spent time in Tunisia this past May. The citizens I had contact with were excited and nervous about what the future may hold. They hope for freedoms that we take for granted.

Yeah, yeah...I know...America's great, we have a bigger army than you, etc. I believe that as well (truly), but it's a big world out there.

I suspect (hope) some (many) of the responses are sarcastic - although apple 1.9 I'm not sure. I hate generalizations - but many people in the west have been clueless about the plight of citizens in some of these countries. Tunisia for example - its a nice warm sunny place where rich people take vacations right?

Seriously AI?
Get the facts straight. He wasn't even in the list of possible candidates...unless you mean the wish-list from the media and not the actual list that TIME stated in interviews. Way to start a riot on your forums...

They're also a bunch of morons. What was it that triggered some of the protests, some idiots setting themselves on fire?

This Time Magazine person of the year should be renamed the Darwin Award of the year.

You sir, are the poster child for mindless consumer culture.

Absolutely zero understanding or respect for people who are concerned with fighting social injustice and dedicating themselves to creating a more humanitarian world. People who would rather die than live in a world where they see those around them being treated unfairly due to corrupt regimes. All that matters in life are the products you own and the culture which has formed around them (like this forum). How utterly shallow...

Sure, you can spew out your images of the more banal side of protesting to justify your beliefs. Just as I could spew out images of morons who mindlessly follow Apple products or act snobby because they've purchased an Apple product, to justify anti-Apple beliefs. But doing that doesn't capture the whole picture, does it?

Even Mr. Jobs himself had a passion for the humanities which was born out of the counter culture movement of the late 60s & early 70s. Not just buying into what corporate America is selling you, but instead finding your own path and creating your own world.

It's that humanity and disregard for the establishment which drove the creation of the Macintosh, and it's the same sentiment which drives protestors to try and shape the world around them when they see injustice.

The things Steve Jobs did this year are at least 60% guaranteed to make the world a better place. Either through some innovation of tech, some increase in productivity, or whatever else have you? Stet?

What the protesters (specifically Arab Spring) have done is only removed from the places in which they live the 100% certainty that their world would remain (or become) a (more) terrible place.

Both have the opportunity to be an improvement on quality of life. Only one has shown (or has been known to show) real progress in said area.

The things Steve Jobs did this year are at least 60% guaranteed to make the world a better place. Either through some innovation of tech, some increase in productivity, or whatever else have you? Stet?

What the protesters (specifically Arab Spring) have done is only removed from the places in which they live the 100% certainty that their world would remain (or become) a (more) terrible place.

Both have the opportunity to be an improvement on quality of life. Only one has shown (or has been known to show) real progress in said area.

So should the founding fathers not have revolted against Britain due to the uncertainty it would bring of what would happen to the colonies after they gained their freedom?

So should the founding fathers not have revolted against Britain due to the uncertainty it would bring of what would happen to the colonies after they gained their freedom?

No, what does the American Revolution have to do with the current slew of worldwide protests?

Why would you think for one second that when I said "only one has shown real progress" I meant "the fundamental concept of protests" and not "the current slew of worldwide protests"?

Do you also think that when I talked of Steve Jobs' affect on technology that I actually meant "every technological advancement since the dawn of time, including all wartime innovations, which made the world a worse place"?

I am no more of a dogmatist than anybody else who has an opinion. My opinion is just as valid as anybody else's.

I was trying to be kind with that wording. You have called them morons (definition: a stupid person), you have called them retarded (definition: a mentally handicapped person), and you have called them idiots (definition: a stupid person) for protesting. FOR PROTESTING! Based on this and other extreme comments you've made I have to wonder if you'd fall under the clinical term for a sociopath or if you have no concept of severe pain and suffering because you've liived such a short, charmed life that has shielded you from reality.

This bot has been removed from circulation due to a malfunctioning morality chip.

Much to the delight of certain people here, I'm not going to bother to say anything else in this thread, as I've already made my opinion clear, but I will say one last thing.

I am usually right, and wait and see what happens in a few years and we can revisit this topic again. Those protesters will have accomplished nothing and the new societies that they're setting up will be anti-democratic, bigoted and there will be a lot more problems in those primitive countries, especially for certain groups of people like women, gays etc.

If the KKK were making a new country would you cheer it on? Well, I'm not going to cheer on those mideast countries, no way jose.

The things Steve Jobs did this year are at least 60% guaranteed to make the world a better place. Either through some innovation of tech, some increase in productivity, or whatever else have you? Stet?

What the protesters (specifically Arab Spring) have done is only removed from the places in which they live the 100% certainty that their world would remain (or become) a (more) terrible place.

Both have the opportunity to be an improvement on quality of life. Only one has shown (or has been known to show) real progress in said area.

In what time frame? A revolution, can change the revolters world for the worse in the short term, in order for things to improve in the long term.

So one great man - SJ would by this definition always win, over any amount of revolutionists?

The things Steve Jobs did this year are at least 60% guaranteed to make the world a better place. Either through some innovation of tech, some increase in productivity, or whatever else have you? Stet?

What the protesters (specifically Arab Spring) have done is only removed from the places in which they live the 100% certainty that their world would remain (or become) a (more) terrible place.

Both have the opportunity to be an improvement on quality of life. Only one has shown (or has been known to show) real progress in said area.

Spoken like someone who analyzes the world in the same terms as business gains/losses.

Even though the Arab spring protests haven't brought certain stability, they have created a level of hope among people, and put a certain amount of fear into other regimes because of that. Which is a positive step in my books.

No, what does the American Revolution have to do with the current slew of worldwide protests?

Why would you think for one second that when I said "only one has shown real progress" I meant "the fundamental concept of protests" and not "the current slew of worldwide protests"?

Do you also think that when I talked of Steve Jobs' affect on technology that I actually meant "every technological advancement since the dawn of time, including all wartime innovations, which made the world a worse place"?

The worldwide protests caused revolts which toppled governments. Which you stated that only thing they did was remove certainty of how their lives will be in their future. The revolt against Britain did the same thing. It removed the certainty of the colonies lives.

You can't say they shouldn't have won the Person of the Year because they removed that certainty. They won because they caused the biggest impact this year. How their lives will be now is irrelevant.

Time Magazine is a politically biased piece of shit magazine with a clear agenda.

So a person like this represents the person of the year and not Steve Jobs? That tells you a lot about the morons at Time Magazine.

I've said it before in a previous thread about this topic, but I was hoping that Steve Jobs didn't get person of the year, as they've already dissed him once before and their person of the year means nothing at all. It would be an insult to get person of the year from Time Magazine as they clearly have a very low criteria as to who they choose.

In what time frame? So one great man - SJ would by this definition always win, over any amount of revolutionists?

No, of course not. The timeframe, in this case, is the year. Overall, I'd say that revolutionaries have much more impact than a single person has ever had, but it's not my timeframe to choose.

Quote:

Originally Posted by auxio

Even though the Arab spring protests haven't brought certain stability, they have created a level of hope among people, and put a certain amount of fear into other regimes because of that. Which is a positive step in my books.

I'm not saying they're bad. I'm saying they've removed the certainty of badness. That can only be good. In terms of operational good (so far), however

... People who would rather die than live in a world where they see those around them being treated unfairly due to corrupt regimes. .....

The man chose a permanent solution for a temporary problem and purposely choose to do nothing himself to improve the situation. If that is your leader you know the next step. If that is not your leader step up to the plate and lead by example. People will follow good.

Our great nation grew from 53 self reliant individuals who after burying 50 of their family and friends stood on Plymouth Rock and watched the Mayflower sail out of sight. Then they got busy. "... with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

"They're also a bunch of morons. What was it that triggered some of the protests, some idiots setting themselves on fire?"

Clever. How's the view from inside your rear?

I spent time in Tunisia this past May. The citizens I had contact with were excited and nervous about what the future may hold. They hope for freedoms that we take for granted.

Yeah, yeah...I know...America's great, we have a bigger army than you, etc. I believe that as well (truly), but it's a big world out there.

PLEASE! I beg everyone... just stop responding to him! He's an idiot. I know all the responses tell him he's an idiot- but people like them (ignorant and close-minded)- their minds cannot be changed. They can only be ignored.\

Our great nation grew from 53 self reliant individuals who after burying 50 of their family and friends stood on Plymouth Rock and watched the Mayflower sail out of sight. Then they got busy. "... with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

And they were out there ringin’ those bells and makin’ sure as they were ridin’ their horses through town to send those warning shots and bells that we’re gonna be secure and we were gonna be free. And we we’re gonna be armed.

PLEASE! I beg everyone... just stop responding to him! He's an idiot. I know all the responses tell him he's an idiot- but people like them (ignorant and close-minded)- their minds cannot be changed. They can only be ignored.\

Allowing people to post mindless opinions unchallenged is basically allowing idiocracy to rule.

However, I agree that knee-jerk anger responses and name calling doesn't help. IMO, it's much better to take the high road, rationally deconstruct their viewpoints and expose the flaws in a humorous or creative way, showing them as fools in front of everyone else, all in the hope that their viewpoints aren't adopted by other people simply because no one gives a better alternative. You may not be able to change their mind, but hopefully you can prevent the spread of their ideas.

The man didn't quietly commit suicide- that would be in line with what you said, but committed his life because he felt that was the best thing he could do - what would you have him do instead?

Yes the great nation of the USA & Plymouth rock - of course the revolution and the civil war played a big part too?

Are you suggesting that our leaders are the ones who take the easy way out and quit? Are you suggesting that the best thing this man's imagination could conceive was quit? Or is ending his life easier than working to be the best he can be? Which does our nation need quitters or self reliant, take care of themselves people?

They give Person of the Year to whoever had the biggest effect in that year.

That's their criteria. Except they admitted themselves that Osama Bin Laden should've been Person of the Year in aught one, but they didn't like that so they ignored their only criteria.

I'll leave you to decide why they didn't do the same for Steve.

I think it was the RIGHT choice -- even though Steve has had a very positive impact.

"Protests" are going global. From the Arab World to LA Park. We are in a sea change of unrest that is just bubbling under the surface. Economic justice needs to address the growing disparities and the separation growing between power and responsibility for how that power gets used.

In "related news" methane is bubbling up in the Arctic because the warming ocean is releasing methane deposits.

Love Steve, RIP -- but the world and our future are a bit bigger than one man this year.